Citywide Shootings Increase in 2014

The number of shootings and victims of gunfire each have increased more than 10% so far in 2014 when compared with the year-earlier period, according to New York Police Department crime data through June 8.

The number of shooting incidents across the city has increased 31.6% to 104 from 79, when comparing the 28-day period that ended Sunday with the same period last year. Overall, the number of shootings across the city has increased 10.7% to 434 from 392.

The number of victims of gunfire increased 43.3% to 129 from 90, over the same time frames, the data show. Overall, the number of shooting victims has increased 13.2% to 507 from 448.

After a promotion ceremony at police headquarters on Tuesday, Commissioner William Bratton said the increase was a concern but said he believes the spike is “temporary” and that crime is “going to go up at some point in time.”

“So while any increase is always of concern, this one I believe is a spike, and a spike that we’ll be able to respond to,” he said.

Mr. Bratton said the increases are taking place in small pockets of the city, including public housing developments. The NYPD has beefed up the number of police at housing developments throughout the city in recent weeks and as a result, “that spike is beginning to decline,” Mr. Bratton said.

The number of shootings in the city’s public housing developments has increased 29.3% so far this year to 97 from 75, compared with the same period last year, NYPD data show.

In the most recent 28-day period, shootings at housing developments increased to 18 from 15 in the same period last year, the data shows.

Mr. Bratton discounted questions from reporters that the increases are related to fewer stop, question and frisks taking place. Those stops—and the number of guns recovered from people—have decreased in the past year, NYPD data show.